


What's Coming Through is Alive

by Vandereer



Category: One Piece
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-16 03:11:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18512704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vandereer/pseuds/Vandereer
Summary: "I thought I saw a field of flowers..."As he journeys through Limbo, Roronoa Zoro starts to get the feeling like he has forgotten something very important.





	What's Coming Through is Alive

 

 

The moment you realise you’re going to fall 

 

Roronoa Zoro had stopped seeing anything a while ago, though his eyes remained open.  A gash - or more like several gashes - on his hairline dribbled blood steadily into his eyes until everything turned red.

Kuma had left a while ago, but he continued to stand almost as if on guard, making sure he wasn’t going to come back to fold on his promise.  

The aftershocks of the nightmare he had just put him through still resonated, his nerves still seared and raw. It hurt, but it didn’t seem to matter, after all he was dying. He had come close before, but never this close. The blinding white flashes of pain that made him mindlessly scream every time a new wave hit him- no-one could or should have lived through it.

And yet there he stood.

He only remained on his feet out of sheer bloody-mindedness. Kuma wanted him to writhe and beg for him to stop, so he would be free to bring the Strawhat Crew to their knees by taking their captain away.

But instead he had endured, only stopping to vomit on the ground before beginning the laborious process of standing up. He had to get up, to fold his arms resolutely over his chest and look the bastard in the eyes. Zoro had only the vaguest idea of where the man stood as he swayed drunkenly to his feet and spat out a mixture of blood and bile, salt and sour.

“That’s done then?” Zoro choked out.

Kuma had nodded slowly.

“It’s done.” he said. The skin around the shiny, opaque glasses twitched ever so slightly, a look of acknowledgement? Or maybe just pity.

The cook blundered over not long after he had left, stumbling over the debris and yelling all the time. His words battered at Zoro like moths against a window, he was aware of them but not really hearing.

“Are you still alive? Where did that guy go, what happened here?!”

Zoro’s mouth moved as he tried to respond, but his burned and broken vocal chords wouldn’t cooperate. Not even when the cook grabbed both his shoulders and shook him.

“Answer me dammit!”

Eventually the words came, bubbling out through the blood on his lips.

“Nothing… Nothing at all.”

The cook cringed away, as if the sight of him was too awful to continue looking at, and he slowly took his hands off of Zoro’s shoulders.

From somewhere nearby he could hear the rest of the crew waking up, he could hear their voices, his captain’s laughter.

 _Luffy… he’s alright._  Zoro thought. _They’ll be fine without me. They’ll be fine… they’ll be…_

His last thought trailed away like so many leaves in the wind.

The cook might have caught him before he hit the ground, might have not, before his eyes rolled back into his head and his consciousness dropped like an anchor coming free of its holdings. Plunging down, down into the deepest part of the sea.

 

*

 

Zoro opened his eyes in another world.

The bows of an almond tree nodded above him in a breeze he couldn’t feel, against a backdrop of deep blue. Somewhere nearby a river rushed by and tumbled down into the steady roar of a waterfall.

 _Huh,_ he thought, running a hand over the back of his neck. _Guess I got lost and decided to take a nap._

That was usually what happened anyway, he didn’t remember getting lost in a dark field, handfuls of glittering stars winking steadily overhead.

He sat up and brushed a small drift of white blossoms from his clothes, surprised to find that he felt good - damn good in fact. Energy and power flooded through his body like nothing he had experienced before. He lifted his arms in a languid stretch and ducked under the low branches of the tree.

As he wandered away, he found himself scratching his head, why should he be injured? He looked at his hands and found them looking as they should, no bloody knuckles or broken fingers. He needed to find somewhere to go where he could ask directions, and maybe get a drink.

Silver-green grass peeked out from under blankets of snow, and white flowers waved him on. The gravel path that ran alongside the river was unusually clear, as if someone had shovelled the snow recently. Despite the pretty scenery, the sky unsettled him with its strange light and dark clouds moving as if a storm was coming. He still couldn’t feel a breeze, so how were they moving?

Something about the forest in front of him unsettled him too, with its lofty pine trees swaying and the wooden bridge painted in cheerful colours that led to it. It was awfully dark, and he couldn’t see what lay down the path ahead.

He paused and rested his hand on his sword belt, only for his arm to drop suddenly through air.

His swords were gone. He couldn’t have possibly left them by the tree, he never forgot them. He could only surmise that he had never brought them with him in the first place… A vague memory of laying them at someone’s feet came to him.

_Nah, why would I do that?_

He took a breath and moved off over the bridge. A strange energy ran up his legs as he stepped over the boards. Something primal in him told him not to linger and he quickened his pace, his boots clomping on the wood seemed unnaturally loud. His feet breaking the fallen twigs along the gravel path seemed loud too, like someone was crunching on hard candy obnoxiously close to his ears.

In-between every footstep he heard something moving heavily, as if trying to match his footsteps to not be heard. Every time he stopped, it started again. He searched the empty spaces between the trees on his left, pines trees stood like sentinels as far as the eye could see.

Something flickered past the pines and he felt a puff of cold breath against his ear.

Zoro ran.

_What's the matter with me? I don't run from anything._

In this strange place without his swords at his belt, he would rather not fight a mystery creature with his bare hands. Whatever it was, it was much faster than he was. It had circled around him and now it was clumsily pushing towards the path to greet him, snapping branches and crunching heavily through the snow.

Zoro raised his fists anyway, better than nothing, and waited as the white figure crept out of the trees.

As if he couldn’t get any more confused; a delicate, doll-like woman stepped onto the path and bowed deeply.

“Greetings, my name is Miokuri. I am here to escort you to the afterlife.”

The woman wore a shining white robe that trailed along the ground and long sleeves covered her entwined hands. Her black hair, impossibly neat, lay across her back like a curtain. Zoro lowered his fists, but only a little.

“The afterlife, so I’m dead?” he said.

“I’m afraid so. You fought bravely, but your injuries were too severe.”

The voice was sympathetic, but the expression on her face didn’t change, it took Zoro some squinting to notice that her face was unmoving and slightly shiny, like a mask. Her lips were fixed in a small open-mouthed smile and the black eyes glinted under polished brows. The only colour the two dots of red in the pits of her cheeks and the red of her lips.

She pulled a hand from her sleeve and rested it on his shoulder. It felt cold. The Guide inhaled sharply before her neck and shoulders shuddered. Zoro felt dizzy for a few moments before she took it away again.

“Please do not be afraid, follow me.”

Despite her gentle voice, Zoro felt significantly creeped out. He had met zombies, giraffe-men and been to a city in the sky, but nothing compared to the pit of anxiety in his belly as he followed her through the forest. Being dead didn’t scare him, but nothing about this felt right.

 

* 

**_Somewhere far away..._ **

 

_“I’ve done all I can. Now we just… wait.” Chopper said. His voice had no more life and energy to it, after spending all day and a few hours of that night repairing Zoro’s broken body._

_The word ‘wait’ that would have normally forced a whine and a fit of squirming out of their captain was met instead with silence. Luffy hadn’t said a word since Sanji had called them all over, more distressed than they had ever heard him._

_The first thing he had done after he handed over their blood-soaked and limp swordsman into Chopper’s care was find somewhere to scrub himself clean for a long time. He came back wearing a hoodie with a fresh dark circle under his eye and an air of worry so uncharacteristic that it only added to the general sense of unease in the air._

_“Just ‘wait’?” Sanji said, “Isn’t there anything we can do?”_

_“Keep him warm, keep a close eye on him, oh and he’ll need some food when he wakes up.” Chopper said._

If he wakes up. _Chopper thought, biting his tongue to stop himself saying the words._

_“I’ll get started on some broth.” Sanji said, pulling up his sleeves and marching away._

_The rest of the crew trickled away to their own devices, all except Luffy. His mood affected everyone, even Lola's crew who hadn't been filled in on the situation and worried mutterings started. Some had even wandered over asking if Zoro were dead, only to be met by a barrage of angry words and threats of a beating from Nami._

_“Luffy are you alright?” Chopper finally asked him, worrying deeply about what sort of answer he would get._

_Luffy seemed reluctant to drag his eyes away from Zoro for even a moment. Even when he turned to respond, he couldn’t quite look Chopper directly in the eye._

_“Sure, I trust you to take care of him.”_

_He wandered away with his hands in his pockets, humming a little tune and seemingly carefree as ever._

_Normally his captain’s faith in him alone would keep him going, but Chopper’s hooves shook like leaves and he wondered if he even trusted himself. He was a little envious of the others, who could at least find themselves a distraction while he was glued to Zoro’s side and listening to every weak breath he took._

_Across the room Sanji was starting a fire, as the flames took to the kindling he leaned down to light his cigarette on it._

_“Hey Sanji!” Luffy called. “We just beat the bad guys, we need to have a feast!” Luffy said, hopping up and down and grinning._

_A deep, beleaguered sigh came out of Sanji, followed by a cloud of smoke._

_“Fine, but you're helping me find the cooking supplies.”_

_Sometimes Chopper was certain there was more to Luffy's happy go lucky nature than most people took at face value. The spirits of the two crews were low, they couldn't sit around and dwell on Kuma’s sudden appearance and their wounded friend, so a feast surely wouldn't hurt. Or maybe Luffy just needed a distraction himself, he was hard to read even on a good day._

_Chopper needed food too, and sleep, but he didn’t want to take his eyes off Zoro - no, his patient. As much as he hated it, he had to remove himself emotionally from the situation before he lost his mind._

 

_*_

 

Zoro couldn’t believe how the afterlife could be so _boring._

The Guide up ahead was talking.

“When we reach the gate your life will be weighed, the good deeds against the bad, then it will be decided where you will go after that…”

He started to filter out her saccharine-sweet voice. Was he about to meet God? If so, how was he supposed to tell Him that he had never believed? Something told Zoro it wasn’t going to go well.

And anyway, he had killed before. Did that mean he was going to Hell? Not like it made much difference to him anyway, maybe there would be better parties in the underworld.

The path grew narrower and the trees closer, slowly becoming more interlocking and closing out any light there was. Soon it was pitch-black and the only light was provided by the Guide, and his own faintly glowing body.

The swinging of her hair became hypnotic, like a pendulum swaying back forth willing him to sleep. He wanted to find some place to nap, but a dark, creepy forest didn’t seem like the place for that.

In the silence he heard strange voices. The first time he chalked it up to his imagination, until they started to happen with more frequency. Snatches of conversation, a quiet sob, followed by murmurs that soon drifted back into nothing.

He paused as a flickering light sailed past his ear, a butterfly. It caught his attention, being the only thing around to look, at and watched it flutter down a side-path. As he turned back to the Guide he realised that he could no longer see her.

How did this always happen?

He could still see the butterfly, and on a whim he decided to follow it as it darted down a side-path. This path was a lot brighter, and the trees became more spaced out until a clearing opened up.

_Whatever, I’ll circle back and find her, after I check this place out._

In front of him was a colourful shrine, nestled snugly in a natural rock formation. Water trickled from somewhere above and a light snow dusted everything like powder sugar on a cake.

Something about it felt safer than the forest as he walked through the gateway, white lilies and cattails lined a small koi pond, along with one of those ubiquitous garden accessories that made a small ‘donk’ sound every couple of minutes. Safe, charming and… boring. He watched the fish make graceful circles around the pond before he noticed that he wasn’t alone.

A man knelt on the neat patch of sand in front of the altar. His intricate navy and white robes spread out elegantly around him, his wrinkled hands closed together as he prayed.

His feathery grey hair was pulled back in a tight topknot. When he turned sharp, dark eyes set in an angular face studied him. He turned back to the shrine and clapped once before rising.

“A battle isn’t measured by how much fame you gained through it, but by what you protected.” he murmured.

“Huh?” Zoro said.

The man laughed, a deep, raspy chuckle.

“Just something from another life. Some young fool with a sword strapped to his belt said it once. I’m not even sure if he knew what it meant when he said it.”

The man got up with clicking knees and a small groan, before turning to Zoro with a smile.

“I hadn’t expected to see you here so soon, ‘Pirate Hunter’ Zoro.”

“You know me?” Zoro raised an eyebrow, as he tried to remember if he had seen that face before. He didn’t suppose they were handing out copies of his wanted poster in the afterlife.

“You were the one who released my body from its awful puppeteer. You have my gratitude for that.”

He opened his mouth to repeat his question of ‘huh?’ before he realised; the blue and white samurai get-up, the topknot, the long scarf that he wore up to his chin...

He hadn’t seen this man before, but he had seen his body in someone else’s control. Where exposed teeth, bandages and brown skin had been, now there was a normal old guy’s skin, lined and jowly but perfectly normal.

“Uh… Ryu…Something?”  
“Ryuma. Pleased to meet you.”

He gave a small bow and Zoro bowed back politely.

Zoro idly tugged at his empty sword belt as he remembered their battle, and the sword he had won. He grumbled in irritation, he hadn’t even gotten the chance to fully test it out.

“Hey mister, you mind telling me where I am? Is this Heaven?”

“No, this is a place between worlds. You could call it Limbo, or maybe Purgatory. A place for people and beings that exist somewhere between life and death. I came down here when I noticed your presence.”

Ryuma extended his arm and pointed back towards the forest.

“If you want to go on, you'll find a gate at the source of the river...”

Ryuma gave him a sidelong glance.

“But you’re awfully young, and your spirit seems to be in good form. Are you sure this is where you’re supposed to be?”

“I don’t remember, I think so?”

“You think, or you know?”

Zoro froze as he tried to remember. What _had_ he done to get here? He had always been reckless, throwing himself into situations against much bigger men with the confidence that he had more skill in his little finger than they had in their entire sword-arm.

He recalled when he had first left the Dojo, barely into his mid-teens when he had taken on his first pirate. He had scoped them out while they docked and partied at a local tavern. Then, once they were all good and hungover, he had attacked. Their leader had been the biggest man he had seen at that point in his life, wielding a cutlass that made his Wado look like a toothpick. But, weight was nothing when he had gotten the clumsy weapon stuck in the ground and Zoro had used the opportunity to jump over his head and knock him out cold.

Nothing like _that_ should have killed him. His brain felt like he was trying to put together a puzzle that had half the pieces missing.

“Let’s forget about that for now. Please, sit.” Ryuma said, leading him to a low table set opposite the koi pond. Zoro folded his legs under him as he sat on the round wicker cushion and Ryuma did the same.

“You’re from Wano Country aren’t you, what’s it like there?” Zoro said.

“Ah, it’s the most beautiful country in the world... your world that is. Even the afterlife doesn’t compare.”

Ryuma rubbed at the silver bristles on his chin, a dreamy look on his face as he looked off to the middle distance.

“We had the most beautiful cherry-blossoms, the most beautiful women, the purest and most crystal-clear sake you could ever drink…”

Zoro licked his lips, that reminded him.

“Is there sake here?”

“Of course! It wouldn’t be the afterlife without it! Would you like a cup?”

“More like a whole barrel.”

Ryuma guffawed and pulled a bottle and two little cups out of thin air.

“Cheers to you, Roronoa Zoro!”

“And to you.”

The sake was cool and strong as he swirled it around his mouth, it went down smoother and more refreshing than any sake in the real world for sure.

“Your ambition is to be the greatest swordsman correct?” Ryuma said.

“Damn right.” He said, as Ryuma refilled his glass. But even as he said it, the words felt hollow. Something had changed, like simply being the best wasn’t all he wanted any more. Ryuma smiled as he looked into the reflective surface of his cup.

“I was just like you once, I wanted to challenge the greatest swordsman of my time and had no further ambitions beyond that… Well, and filling my stomach. But a lifetime of wandering changes a man, I started to think of a sword not just as a killing tool, but a means of protecting those who cannot protect themselves.”

A memory flashed by, throwing himself in front of a much stronger enemy and tearing through its shoulder, laying his swords at the man’s feet…

Zoro squeezed his eyes shut and shoved the memory back down. He knew on some level that he needed to remember, but that letting it in would cause him significant pain. Ryuma finished his drink and looked at him with a glint in his dark eyes.

“Perhaps you’d like to spar?”

Before Zoro could even ask how he was supposed to fight without his swords, Ryuma stood up and stuck his arms out straight. He put his fists together and pulled them apart like he was unsheathing an imaginary sword.

Then a sword _did_ appear, the edges glittering with starlight and the metal as black as the night sky.

“How’d you do that?” Zoro said.  
Ryuma chuckled.

“We have no need for weapons here, but that doesn’t mean a good sparring match is off the table. You try.”

Zoro squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to imagine the feel of a sword’s hilt in his hand, the sound his katana made as he pulled it from his belt.

Then it was there, glittering and moving like a river under moonlight, a katana more beautiful than anything he had ever seen.

Still, it was no Wado Ichimonji.

Zoro smirked, his uncertainty disappearing. He was in his element when there was an opponent in front of him and a sword in his hand.

“Come then!” Zoro said, holding the hilt with both hands.

“You need to learn your manners, young one! First, we bow.”

Ryuma bowed low to the ground and Zoro mirrored him.

“Now, let’s begin!”

The old man was a hundred times faster than he ever would have thought, and he appeared in front of him immediately, the sound of their clashing swords rang in his ears.

_Of course, this is the same man that cut down a dragon._

They grinned at each other over their swords before Ryuma delivered a flurry of slashes, each one hitting harder than the next. Zoro’s heart beat a wild horse’s footbeats against his ribcage as hurried to block them all.

Ryuma beat him back towards the fish pond and Zoro felt cold seep into his boot.

“Ah, sorry.” Zoro said to the fish, as they pumped their little tails to get away.

“Concentrate, young one!” Ryuma cried triumphantly. His sword carved a lightning-bright path through his side, and white light seeped out of the thin gash across his ribs.

Zoro was startled and jumped out of the pond, he felt no pain as he touched the wound but it still unsettled him.

“Would you like to stop?” Ryuma said, expertly twirling his star-sword in his fingers.

“Like hell!” Zoro said, still grinning. He had never felt more alive… Ironically.

Ryuma laughed and swung his sword in an over the shoulder arc. Zoro yelped as he tried to block the blast of white light, though as he blocked, it sent him flying over the shrine roof anyway. Suddenly he was upside down and the ground was coming towards him fast. He flipped around and skidded down the curved roof, windmilling his arms around to stop himself from toppling of the edge. Ryuma watched this display with amusement and jumped up to join him, balancing easily on the apex of the roof. Zoro ran up the slippery tiles to meet him and tried to balance as easily as Ryuma did in his blocky geta sandals.

Ryuma sprang towards him again as if he were flying, sword outstretched besides him.

" _Thirty-six pound..._ ” Zoro started. His eyes widened. A piercing sound hummed in his ears, his vision started to go fuzzy and white. He could feel something pulling at him from far away, as if he was awake in two bodies at once. Something slammed down on his other body and he could feel ribs crunching, wounds tearing open.

“GAH!” Zoro cried. His shuddering hands could no longer hold his sword, it disintegrated as it fell out of its grip.

Ryuma stopped at the last possible moment and his face twisted in concern.

“Young one, what’s-?”

Zoro grabbed at his head and he fell like a ragdoll down the curve of the roof. He landed hard on his back, with pain flaring along his ribs. Opening his eyes again was excruciating. He saw a double image of the shrine, then of people leaning over him and a roof of stone over his head.

“What’s happening to me?” he groaned, almost having to shout to be heard above the noise in his ears.

“It seems your body is dying.”

“But...That thing in the forest. She told me I was already dead!”  
“That thing…?” Ryuma’s eyes turned to slits as he frowned. “It lies. You’re still alive Roronoa Zoro, but you might not be for much longer.”

“What?!”

The light around his body was growing even brighter.

“There’s no more time, head to the waterfall! You might still have a chance of getting back to the world of the living!”

He did as Ryuma said and charged headlong and blind into the trees, no clue where he was going.

_Was it left or right?! Dammit!_

 

*

 

_“He’s not breathing, I need an O2 tank!” Chopper cried._

_None of the Strawhats moved, not even Luffy who stood more stony-faced and still than the others. For a moment Chopper wondered if he had snapped, if even his own ship-mates couldn’t take him seriously enough to help him. But then he saw the stiff postures, the shocked faces… They couldn’t believe that Zoro of all people could be dying._

_Franky turned his head back and forth over them, his lip curling as he snarled between gritted teeth._

_“Oi, long-nose, cook, come with me!” he said, snapping both men out of their wide-eyed stares and waving them on._

_Chopper gave Franky’s retreating back a grateful look before he started to compress Zoro’s chest. He envied his ability to look at the situation without much emotion. Franky had noticed that they cared too much about Zoro and were paralyzed by it, while Chopper was doing his duties through eyes made blurry by tears. As he pressed his mouth to Zoro’s, his smaller lungs had to work overtime to fill his lungs with air. His vision went fuzzy after taking too many breaths in succession, but he was the only one who could help. He kept pushing at his chest, all too aware that he was hurting his friend even more in the process. Blood started to leak through bandages from where he was pushing, but he had no other choice._

_He felt Luffy’s presence at his side. His fists were clenched so tight that his palms were bleeding._

_“Chopper. Save him.”_

_It wasn’t an order. It was a plea, a request for a miracle. The waver in Luffy’s voice only made Chopper cry harder._

_“I’ll do my best, captain!”_

_Somehow he got the feeling he was saving much more than Zoro’s life. If he died, would the crew ever forgive him?_

_Chopper swiped the tears from his eyes and kept working._

 

*

 

“Dammit, how am I supposed to find my way out of here?” Zoro muttered to himself as he ran. All he could do was pick a path and blunder down it, with the light around his body flickering like a warning light. He skidded to a halt at a crossroads, where not two or three, but _five_ side-paths connected. Zoro growled in frustration and kicked a pine cone off into the trees.

“Ah, there you are! I have been looking for you.”

The Guide materialised in front of him, as if bleeding out of the darkness. Zoro gritted his teeth and scowled at her.

“You lied to me lady, you said I was dead!”

The light shifted over the mask as she lowered her head, causing her eyes to be cast into shadow and giving her the appearance of a scowl.

“If you were not dead, you would not be here, now would you?” she said sweetly, the condescending tone grating at his nerves.

“You are so close now. If you would come with me-”

“I’m not going anywhere with you!” Zoro said.

He jogged around her and veered off the path - because screw it, he was playing dice with his life as it were - only for him to stumble over a branch and fall headlong down a gulley. He squawked as he tumbled down, smacking his head on rocks and dirt getting into his eyes and mouth.

Almost a lifetime had passed by the time he stopped, or so it felt. His ribs hurt as if he had fallen from a great height and for a while he could do little but lay in the mud and groan. He had met the river again somehow after falling, and he heard it gurgle and splash a few feet away.

_“Zoro, can you hear me? ZORO!”_

His head jerked up at the voice, as clear as if the person were standing right across the river from him.

Of course no-one was there, but Zoro stared towards the sound regardless. The other side of the river was dark, with only a few of those glowing butterflies flitting in a lazy circle.

_“WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO DIE!”_

He heard the voice again. His head throbbed as he tried to put a face to it, he had heard that anguished scream many times before. _  
_ _“Luffy stop! You’re hurting him!”_ Another voice joined in, his too achingly familiar.

 _“WE’RE NOT GOING TO RAFTEL WITHOUT YOU!_ **_WAKE UP!”_ **

Zoro’s head whipped to the side as if he had just been struck, for a moment his body’s eyes opened. He caught a glimpse of droplets of blood flying out of his mouth, people surrounding him with horror-struck faces and a fist lodged firmly in his cheek. His body sucked in air again with a great tearing gasp before he rocketed back into himself.

Luffy. Sweet mercy, how had he forgotten?

He had forgotten, he had _forgotten_ the man who had saved his life, given him a purpose other than hunting down no-name bounty heads, the man he was going to make Pirate King. On top of that, he had gone and got himself killed without giving him so much as a goodbye.

The brief glimpse of the living world confirmed what Ryuma had said, his body was still clinging to life somewhere, while his soul blundered around lost.

_I’m going to go back, and the first thing I’m going to do is apologise._

Zoro thumped the ground with a fist resolutely. He pushed himself up onto his elbows and crawled forward to look at his reflection in the river. His face was leaking more of that glowing light. Was it possible to bruise someone’s soul? Luffy had certainly managed it somehow.

_The river was flowing down where I started… So if I follow this…_

Hope flared in him and a small smile crept onto his face as he heaved himself up and headed downriver. He wouldn’t take his eyes off the river, hell he would swim it if it meant getting back to Luffy and his crew. They were waiting for him.

He crashed through trees and burst out into the open field where he had started. There was the almond tree where he had been lying and what looked like the end of the river. He splashed through the knee-deep water and carefully looked over the edge.

The world seemed to end when the river did, below was nothing but blackness, and in the vapour of the waterfall, a faint white light. He felt apprehensive all of a sudden and stopped at the cliff edge. Was that light the way back to his body?

His body... His fragile, weak body, and pain. God, the pain. He was surprised he had forgotten it for as long as he did. The sun rising over the ruins of Thriller Bark as thousands of blows slammed into his body all at once.

He clenched his fists so hard that his nails dug welts into his palms. He was afraid, afraid of going back into his body and experiencing that much pain again.

As he stared down, he felt a presence behind him.

The Guide was back, only something was different about the mask she wore, the eyes were slitted, and the grin even more pronounced than before.

“You remember, don’t you?”

The Guide’s shoulders slumped and her head hung loosely against her chest. Something appeared behind her, something hulking, insectoid and _wrong._ Something all long legs and claws with a swollen abdomen dangling down to the floor.

The false body fell away, leaving only the smiling mask hovering in the air. He realised the mask was attached to the mantis-like body, dangling out from a long, fleshy neck with its black hair swaying wildly.

It bent down in front of him so its nose was almost touching his, still smiling it’s condescending little smile. It’s tone became mocking and cruel.

“I had intended to lead you to the darkest part of the forest so I could devour your soul, if I had known you were a directionless little _fool_ I would have kept a closer eye on you!”

Zoro glared at the creature, standing still even as she stabbed a claw as long as he was tall into the ground.

“You sacrificed yourself because you wanted a fast way to glory, right?” she said, “Young foolish boys like you make wonderful meals for me!”

“I don’t care about that. Something like _you_ could never understand.”

The mask’s mouth broke into a thousand hairline cracks, giving it the appearance of a deranged grin. It began to growl and its body shook in something resembling laughter.

“You did it because you’re afraid of life, because therein lies the true challenge. You are a _coward,_ Roronoa Zoro.” she hissed in his ear.

“You say I’m afraid to live?” Zoro said.

He untied his bandana from his upper arm, glad that at least that had come with him. He fastened it around his head where it belonged and felt a taste like ice-cold water as a sword manifested between his teeth. He summoned two more in his hands.

“Three sword-style!”

The Guide let out a screech that rattled his eardrums and swung her claws down in an arc.

“Purgatory… DEMON SLASH!”

One of the long claws whirled through the air to land in the dirt uselessly, the Guide’s screech of anger turned into a wail of agony.

“Don’t ever question my motives again, monster!” Zoro growled.

The remaining claw stabbed between his feet as he danced out of her reach. He thought he was in the clear when her head reeled back and sprang forward like a piston to catch him in the ribs.

The blow had caused him to skid close to the cliff edge, away from the river. As he looked down, he realised that he had never truly seen the colour black before. What would happen to his soul if he fell down there?

“Ugh, do you want to eat me, or make me fall to my death?” Zoro said.

“If I can’t take your soul, your screams would at least entertain me!”

He duck-rolled under a wide slash and dashed away to gain some ground. He braced his shoulders and sent a blade of light flying, but even with one claw left the Guide blocked him. The force of his blow was deflected into the ground, blue light cracking the earth and splitting it into separate floating chunks.

“Is it my turn now?”

The Guide sent its own version of the attack flying his way, he somersaulted to the side but felt a cold fire spread across his shoulder. He looked over to find that his right arm was missing, white light dripped like embers from the stump of his shoulder.

“What the-!”

“Your spirit is getting weaker, as is your body. Soon you will be a tattered remnant, remembering nothing, floating directionless for all eternity.”

Zoro snarled through gritted teeth. It was true, he couldn’t move as fast as he could when sparring with Ryuma.

“Why not just give up Roronoa? Even if you go back, you're going to die soon anyway.”

“What are you talking about?” he growled. The Guide tapped his forehead with a claw and a vision sprang into his mind. What he saw made no sense, the Guide had to be messing with him.

Not just one, but an army of Kumas, his friends scattered and running for their lives, his own useless body slung over Usopp’s shoulder as they fled. Explosions tore through his crew and a yellow light hovered above his body, waiting to kill him instantly.

“Maybe if you give up, you'll see your friends here soon!” the Guide said gleefully.

Zoro snarled with anger and jumped away. He used the broken chunks of ground to get up higher, punting one into position high above the Guide. The neck was heavily guarded by thick plating, but the abdomen looked soft to cut right through.

“DEMON BEAR!”

Air whistled past his head as he plummeted down, aiming to drive his sword through the Guide’s disgusting neck, but she danced to another platform. The ground shattered and he barely leapt off in time as it crumbled down into the abyss.

Zoro breathed heavily and his second sword fell out of his mouth as he gasped for air. The Guide was advancing on him, he knew he had only one attack left in him. His mind, usually so clear in combat, was fumbling to think of his next move. The ground had disintegrated so much that only two platforms remained. The Guide leapt high above his head and something on its bulbous rear started to uncurl.

A tail. With a very sharp tip.

_No-!_

It drew back and shot out like a whip straight through his chest. Light dripped from his body and his arms went limp. The Guide screeched with laughter and flung him away like a broken toy.

Somewhere far away, he felt his body’s laboured breaths, every one seeming to be slower than the last.

_I can feel myself dying._

 

* 

_Chopper hadn’t slept in days._

_How long had it been since they had found Zoro, three days, maybe four? He didn’t know anymore. The party went on around him, loud music and revelry washing over him. At some point a plate of meat was pushed towards him and he fell on it ravenously, but barely tasted it._

_At least everyone seemed cheerier, and Chopper could join in on the fun, if only for a moment. Zoro didn’t stir even as Luffy nearly tipped a keg of booze onto his face._

_After everyone settled down, Chopper still sat by Zoro’s side, watching every slow rise and fall of his chest, as if it would stop if he looked away for even a second._

_Luffy wandered over, that serious face back once again. He thumbed the deep bruise on Zoro’s face apologetically. Chopper had wanted to tell him that punching wouldn’t solve everyone’s problems, but with a sort of resignation he had to accept that Luffy had literally smacked Zoro into breathing a few hours earlier._

“ _Oi, Zoro.”_

_He clasped Zoro’s limp hand between both of his._

_“I don’t know where you are right now, but I hope you come back soon.”_

_Chopper couldn’t say anything to comfort him, give no reassurances because there weren’t any. Even the strongest man in the world and the future Pirate King could do nothing but wait, and pray that he would be alright._

 

_*_

 

Somewhere far away Zoro could feel him at his body’s side, feel warm hands on his cold skin and strong fingers twining with his broken, useless ones.

_Luffy..._

The Guide chuckled as it loomed over him.

“Hold still, this won’t take long.”

The broken mask fell away around its mouth, revealing a fleshy hole where mandibles clicked and a cold wind blew out. It started to suck in the light around Zoro’s wound, the cold eyes rolling back with something akin to ecstasy.

He was growing weaker. 

A sword shattered the rest of the mask, revealing multiple silvery eyes and twitching antennae. It screeched furiously and swiped at the man who had saved him.

“Ryuma?” Zoro muttered. He stared incredulously up at the man, his body glowing with blue fire and his dark eyes glittering with determination. He threw a hand towards the river.

“I’ll hold it off, get moving!”

Ryuma turned back to the Guide, his sword braced and ready over his shoulder and his Gi fluttering around his ankles.

“I won’t let you prey on anyone else, monster!”

The Guide raised its awful spiked tail and Ryuma dodged it with the grace and speed only a warrior of Wano could achieve.

Instead of aiming for Ryuma, the Guide turned and advanced on Zoro where he lay helplessly, it raised the claw and made as if to cut his head off.

Zoro closed his eyes, bracing himself for the end.

Ryuma stood before him, shining like a dying sun. His body was cut almost in half, light shining from his severed arm, but still holding his sword.

“No!” Zoro cried.

Ryuma merely chuckled.

“Come on monster, you can do better than that.”

Zoro felt light as he stood up and limped towards the waterfall, like a ball of Dandelion seeds ready to be blown away in the wind.

“Why did you do that? Your spirit- what’ll happen to you?!”

His kind face turned towards him, the hint of a tear in the corner of his eye.

“Zoro, go.”

He breathed in deep as he stepped over the crumbling edge of the world, still scared of what was to come when he did, but not wanting to let Ryuma's sacrifice be in vain.

As he tumbled head over heels he caught a glimpse of Ryuma and the Guide. He watched as the claw came down in an arc towards the samurai one more time. Ryuma’s voice drifted down to him as he fell.

“You have more to do.”

 

*

 

Heading home 

 

Zoro opened his eyes.

Pain had been what he was expecting, and pain was what he got. The second he tried to move his body even a little, it flared down every inch of his body like his blood was boiling. There didn’t seem to be a hair on him that had escaped unscathed.

He didn’t recognise the room where he lay, when he turned he could see a grand piano and a lot of people milling around. The light that filtered in told him it was noon, but his eyes hurt too much to get a better look.

He tried to make a noise, but could barely manage a whimper though what felt like a cracked jaw. However loud it was, it seemed to work. He heard the tap of hooves on stone and the coolness of his hoof-hands against his neck.

“Cho… per…"

Tears and snot fell onto his face. Chopper couldn't seem to decide between screaming or cheering or crying, making a sound that was a combination of all three.

“ZORO'S… ZORO'S AWAKE! EVERYONE!”

Footsteps thundered towards him so hard that he felt them more than heard them. He had never been happier to see the faces crowded around him, even the cook had rushed over. Their dumb faces squished together as they all tried to be the first one to touch him.

“Hey, did I fall asleep?” Zoro croaked.

“YOU NEARLY DIED!” Chopper choked out, he tried to say something else, but it quickly devolved into unintelligible nonsense.

“Very reassuring, doctor.” Sanji said dryly, having to raise his voice to be heard over Franky’s theatrical wailing.

“EVERYONE WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU! IT WAS REALLY TOUCHING!” he cried with a hand pressed over his streaming eyes.

“Well _I_ never had any doubts you'd be alright!” Usopp said, lying badly.

“He’s been crying in the corner nonstop.”

“ _NAMI!”_

Everyone seemed to want to mess his hair, prod his face and offer him water, full of questions and sympathy, he loved them all but kinda wished they would step back a little.

“Oi! Step back you guys, let him breathe!” Chopper yelled at everyone. He picked up a long piece of medical equipment, the use of which was something Zoro didn’t want to think about, and wielded it like a sword. Zoro silently thanked him as the crew backed away, promising to come back later to see how he was doing. Luffy was the only one Chopper let stick around.

“Honestly Zoro, what did you get up to while I was out?” Luffy said, completely carefree as he should be. Zoro met Luffy's ecstatic grin with a weak smile.

Chopper nudged his captain in the ribs and gave him a laser-focused glare. Luffy scratched his chin as a light flush crept up his neck.

“Right and… Sorry about your face. We were all _really_ worried about you.”

“I felt that even in the afterlife.” Zoro muttered, causing Luffy to break into uproarious laughter. He didn’t know that he was telling the truth.

_He has no idea what happened, in that world or with Kuma. Let it stay that way._

“Luffy, stay with me awhile.” It took a monumental effort just to move his fingers, lifting them up and begging for Luffy to hold him.

“Sure Zoro.”

He smiled as Luffy curled his hand into his palm and hugged him as hard as he dared. His wounds ached like hell, but it was worth it.

“Man you should have woken up earlier,” Luffy said, still carefully wrapped around his shoulders. “We just had a huge feast!”

“You partied without me?” Zoro said, his eyebrows tilting up a little. The parties they threw after a victory were the best part.

“Don't look so sad. Here, I didn't let anyone drink your share!”

Luffy ran a short distance and came back with a sloshing barrel, big enough for him to use like a chair. For a moment Zoro wasn't sure which he loved more; the barrel of sake all to himself, or the man sitting on it.

“I knew I followed you for a reason.” Zoro croaked, leaning back on his pillow happily.

Luffy guffawed - shi shi shi! - and lightly slapped his shoulder.

“Luffy! Don't give him that!” Chopper walked up and smacked at his sandals with the flat of his hoof. “No alcohol until he's recovered! He needs _water!”_

He jabbed his hoof at the tankard of clear liquid he was urging Zoro to drink from, the cool liquid sweeter than anything he had tasted before.

“Chopper it'll make him happy, and happier patients recover faster!”

He drifted off while listening to them argue, the cook rattling pots and pans somewhere, the rest of the crew talking happily.

He was home.

 

*

 

Zoro awoke to the sound of a bowl of soup being put on the rock that was serving as his bedside table. He cringed as Sanji sat down next to him, not having seen him since the morning he had...

Zoro had to turn his head to avoid looking him in the eyes.

“I don't need any pity, especially from you”. Zoro said.

“Like you’d get any, but you do need to eat. Open up.” Sanji said, brandishing a spoon in his face.

The cook was the last person he wanted to be tenderly spooning chicken noodle soup into his mouth, but he wasn't exactly capable of doing it himself.

He opened his mouth. It was fantastic, as usual, but like hell he would ever tell him that. A drop or two went down the wrong way and Sanji had to adjust him to sit up a little more.

“Tastes like shit.” Zoro said, as the coughing fit subsided. “You trying to finish me off?”

“It must’ve seen your face and curdled.” Sanji said, looking at him as if he had just asked if he had something stuck up his nose.

He caught a few drops trying to escape down his chin and Zoro tried not to roll his eyes, remembering times when the cook would kick a spatula at his head for spilling even a drop of soup on the tablecloth.

They both turned to look as Luffy barged in, standing up on a closed piano like a stage.

“Hey everyone! Let's have another feast when Zoro gets up!”

He was met with a symphony of hungover groans from the members of Lola's crew who were slouched around the room, some holding bags of frozen peas on their heads.

“You didn't tell him, right?” Zoro said.

“Of course not.” Sanji said quietly. “It would kill him.”

Zoro reached up to grab his wrist as he moved to get another spoonful of soup.

“ _Promise_ me _.”_ he growled, squeezing as hard as he could. “Promise me you won’t _ever_ tell him. _”_ Sanji looked at him steadily, a certain understanding there. He nodded.

“I promise, relax.”

He prised Zoro's bandaged hand off, as he was having trouble working the digits himself, then put down the spoon to pull the creases from the sleeve of his hoodie. Which, Zoro thought, was the most offensive thing he had seen the cook wear yet.

“Anyway, I already stopped a couple of jackasses from blabbing about it.” Sanji continued.

Zoro scowled at him, but Sanji didn’t elaborate and he was too tired to ask him any further questions.

It didn't take him long to eat as much as his shrunken stomach would allow and turn his head away from the spoon, closing his eyes as a wave of exhaustion hit him. Every mouthful had been agonizing. Sanji stabbed a finger at him as he got up.

“By the way, as soon as you're better I'm getting you back for these broken ribs you gave me. You shit-head.”

Zoro opened one eye and muttered.

“Bring it on, Nosebleed.”

 

*

Night was falling outside, crows croaking and crickets chirping. Chopper pulled a blanket over him while the rest of the crew arranged themselves around his makeshift bed. Chopper pulled his hat off and crawled under Zoro's arm while Luffy cuddled into his side.

The sounds of their snores echoing off the stone walls broke down some sort of dam inside him. He had somehow vastly underestimated how much they all cared. Only when he was sure that everyone was asleep did he let a shuddering sob escape him. A few tears started to roll down his cheeks and Luffy stirred beside him.

“You're okay Zoro.”

His fist curled against Zoro's collarbone and he pressed himself into the tangle of unruly black hair.

“Luffy, I’m sorry.” he choked out the words between hitching sobs.

“Hm? Why are you sorry?”

“Because… I never thanked you.”

“For what?”

The list of things Zoro could’ve said got longer and longer, for saving him from Captain Morgan and his idiot son, for taking him on so many adventures, for treating him like an equal and not just another underling like so many other pirates. He thought back to who he used to be, the half-starved wreck Luffy had found tied to a post, for all he knew just one more low-life ready to be shot full of holes and put in the ground.

But eventually, through another bout of thick sobbing, Zoro said,

“For having faith in me.”

 

*

 

Throughout the next few days, the Strawhats took turns taking care of Zoro, giving him sips of soup and water and keeping him company in-between naps.

To his surprise, Robin was the one coming over with the soup bowl this time. Nami had told him she was the one who had safely moved him to the room and he was newly grateful for her slightly creepy ability.

Robin propped him up on her lap, while she bloomed a single hand to hold the soup spoon. It was still embarrassing, but less so than having the cook do it.

“Where did Franky and Usopp disappear off to?” Zoro said. He hadn’t seen them since he had woken up.

“Franky said he wanted to start some project for Brook, he’s away on his old ship and Usopp is helping him, he promised he'd stop by later.”

Zoro made a thoughtful noise as he wondered what they could possibly be doing on the old ghost ship.

He started to enjoy being fed this way, Robin’s lap was warmer than the stone where he had been lying for almost a week now, and her real hands were free to gently stroke his hair in a motherly way. When he turned his head he could see Sanji staring daggers at him from his rudimentary kitchen, he enjoyed that more than anything.

“Hey sword-dude!” someone called over.

A man wearing a black mask and another guy with a wild head of orange hair walked over to him. They had a shifty, awkward manner to them which made him raise an eyebrow.

“We just wanted to say that we think you’re a real stand-up guy!” black mask said.  
“And a-” the other paused to wipe his arm on his sleeve. “A gosh-darn great friend!”

“Okay… Thanks?” Zoro said. He stared, completely baffled at their backs as they went away as abruptly as they had come. “What was that all about?” he said to Robin.

She gave a small chuckle.

“It seems you have a lot of admirers.”

Zoro snorted.

“I don’t want any, they can put their admiration in someone who actually deserves it.”

Robin smiled down at him, sometimes he felt like the woman could see right through him. The little smile she wore always indicated that she knew more than she let on.

“I think you deserve it… because I heard all about it.”

Zoro stopped her hand holding the soup spoon with his mouth halfway open.

“You did?”

“I’m afraid I did a little eavesdropping on our dear cook. I’ll take your secret to my grave unless you say otherwise.”

“I see.”

Not even a month ago he would have been livid, but the fiasco at Water Seven felt like a million years away. Robin had turned over a new leaf and he trusted her almost as well as the original crew members from East Blue. Besides, as an ex-double agent he knew she could keep a secret.

Robin brushed his still slightly bloody hair off his brow and kept feeding him soup. Sanji stared at them while scrubbing the same plate so hard it threatened to break in half, his face so red he was practically steaming. Zoro smirked his way and leaned back comfortably just to rub it in.

“You really love our dear captain, don't you?” Robin said.

“I would've died back in the East Blue if he hadn't come along.”

“Oh?”

“I was strapped to a post in some marine execution yard, beaten and eating food off the floor like a dog. Then he came along and saved my life.”

“It seems you and I share that in common. I was ready to die in Alabasta before he saved my life. I hated him for it at the time, but now I see it was the best thing that ever happened to me. He is a wonderful man.”

Zoro felt his face getting hot as she kept looking at him with that knowing smile, just how damn obvious was he about it? Everyone loved Luffy, but he had been feeling for a while that he _really_ loved Luffy, so much so that he didn’t really know what to do about it.

“You're very brave, Zoro dear.” Robin finally gave him a break from her piercing know-it-all look and gently moved him aside to tuck him in for a nap.

“It takes more bravery to live than to die.” he muttered, his eyes shutting of their own accord.

 

*

 

“Hey Big Cat! All according to plan, right? I knew you would be okay!”

Usopp appeared at his side, waking him from a light sleep. He never thought he would think it, but he was getting a little sick of not being able to keep his eyes open. He kept dreaming of the terrible Guide and woke worrying of what had become of Ryuma, or if any of it was real in the first place. Zoro quirked his brows at his long-nosed friend, letting the nickname slide for now.

“We had a plan?”

“You must be bored lying there all day, how about some magic?”

Usopp pretended to sneeze and pulled a colourful stream of handkerchiefs out his nostrils.

“Tadaah!”

“Usopp…”

“Wondering where I’ve been huh? There’s a lot of skeletons on Brook’s ship… Skeletons that aren’t… Brook. Anyway - Franky and I have been making a proper grave for them here. I’ve been planing the wood alone for two days!”

“That’s… great Usopp.”

“We’re gonna ship out as soon as you can move, are you feeling better today? I’ll get you something to eat.”

Zoro reached over and caught the white sash around Usopp’s waist, stopping him in his tracks with a yelp.

“Usopp,” Zoro said, giving him a flat stare, “what do you really want to say to me?”

He turned with a smile on his lips, about to make another joke or something else to dodge the question. Then his chin started to wobble, his nose trembled and finally the river of tears came.

He collapsed on Zoro’s chest and hugged him tightly. His entire body shuddered with sobs and his long nose ran all over his bandages. Zoro smiled, he knew his crew too damn well.

“Don't _do_ that again! Who's gonna protect me if you…”

“It's alright, I'm not going anywhere” Zoro muttered. It tickled him, the fact that he was the one who had been the one dying, yet Usopp still needed his comforting. They lay together for some time, Zoro patting his curly head as he cried for as long as he needed to.

“Big Cat?” Zoro said eventually.

“It's like a nickname, I was trying something out.”

“Don't ever do that again.”

“Okay…”

 

*

 

Zoro considered part of his job to be keeping an eye on the crew, watching for any emotional or physical changes. Some of the time when he appeared to be napping on deck he was keeping one eye open, listening in on conversations he wasn’t supposed to be able to hear.

He knew when a member of his crew was exhausted, like Chopper was now. The little reindeer stumbled around with shadowed eyes, performing his doctorly duties with the movements of a sleepwalker. He hopped up onto the stone and started unpeeling Zoro’s dirty bandages while stifling a yawn.

“Chopper, you saved me didn’t you?” Zoro said.

“You stopped breathing, and I couldn’t feel a pulse either.” he said darkly, as he swabbed Zoro’s wounds with a fresh coat of antiseptic. His eyes were slightly bloodshot from crying and Zoro badly wanted to give him a hug.

“Chopper, don’t tell anyone this but, when I was asleep I felt like… I was in another world, with fields of flowers and this creepy forest.”

“You saw Heaven?”

“No, it wasn’t Heaven. You guys weren’t there for a start.”

“Zoro… That’s.. the cheesiest thing you’ve ever said.”

“I DON’T NEED TO HEAR THAT FROM YOU!” Zoro yelled as he jerked himself onto his elbows.

Chopper shrieked and tumbled backwards off the stone, out of his reach. Apparently even half-dead he could still be intimidating, though he soon collapsed back down as the outburst made him feel lightheaded. Chopper hopped back onto the bed and pressed a cold pack over his forehead.

“You still have a lot of recovering to do, please lie still.”

Zoro let out a long groan and let Chopper fuss over him, he guessed that walking was still a way off.

“I’m glad you brought me back, you’re the best doctor I know.”

Chopper giggled and shoved a hoof in his face.

“Shut up DUMMY! I’m the _only_ doctor you know!” Chopper said, in the tone that would offend him coming from anyone else, also if he weren’t grinning and fidgeting.

“Yeah well, even if I met other doctors, you would still be the best.”

“Ha ha SHUT UP! You asshole!”

The fur around his cheeks grew a deep shade of rose as he danced about happily.

Under his happy, fuzzy face though, Zoro could see the deep circles under his big brown eyes, and the clumsy way he handled his medical supplies. Not to mention his ribs were a little more prominent than usual.

“Chopper, when was the last time you slept?”

“Oh don’t worry about me.. I had to keep awake to keep an eye on you! It’s fine.” Chopper laughed again, though considerably more tiredly.

“When?”

“Th-three days ago… But it’s okay! I napped for almost an hour yesterday.”

“Chopper, get some sleep. That’s an order.”

“O-okay.”

Once Chopper had finished his work and dressed him in clean bandages, he popped off his hat and all but collapsed into the crook of Zoro's arm. He was snoring gently within seconds.

 

*

 

“You’ve got a lot to say for yourself.”

Nami stood at the foot of his bed, her arms folded severely over her chest.

“Honestly, I have half a mind to raise your interest again for worrying us so much!”

Zoro’s heart leapt into his throat and he wished that Chopper were awake to protect him. He would have something to say about giving his patients heart attacks if he weren’t still asleep in the crook of Zoro’s arm, and had been for hours.

“You know you’re literally the Devil, don’t you?” Zoro said. He wouldn’t have been surprised to have seen her guarding the gate to Hell, surrounded by piles of flaming money.

“Yes, I’m well aware.”

She sat down and folded one leg over the other.

“If you even think about dying again I’m going to kill you myself. I don’t know if I can forgive you for scaring Luffy like that.”

He sighed and absently ruffled Chopper’s fluffy head, he hadn’t quite gotten around to forgiving himself for that.

Sanji finally stormed over and loomed over Nami’s shoulder. He glared at Zoro like he was trying to set him on fire by looking at him.

“Sanji, is there something you want?” Nami said, in her overly sweet tone that usually preceded a beatdown.

“You.. You’re not going to rest him on your lap and feed him soup are you?”

“No, why would I?!”

Zoro hid his face behind his hand but couldn’t disguise the snort of laughter. Even if he were interested in women, he wouldn’t have an interest in someone as tempestuous as Nami.

“What’s so funny moldy-head?!”

 

*

 

With Robin’s hands pushing him upright and Luffy and Usopp at his sides he finally managed to get up. The whole crew stood nearby, ready to catch him if he suddenly decided to topple over. He looked at their faces, his crew who he never would have come far without and who he needed more than he could ever say in words.

He stumbled around like an infant as his weak legs learned how to support his weight again. His ankles threatened to fold and sweat started to pour down his forehead from the effort of staying upright. They were all looking at him with so much love that it tore at his heart.

“What are you all looking at? I’m fine!” Zoro barked.

“Yep, he’s definitely going to be okay.” Nami muttered.

 

*

 

“Oh my!”

The black cloud of Brook’s hair wobbled and his top hat almost fell from its perch as Zoro limped into the graveyard. He felt bad for interrupting his song, the notes of the violin were mournful and sweet, but prayer was best done in silence. Zoro shoved Yubarashi into the ground and sat down.

“You surprised me.” Brook said, a hint of nervousness in his voice. “Are you.. doing better now?”

“Yeah, just overslept a bit is all.”

As he laid his sword to rest, he clapped his hands and prayed. Not just to his cursed Yuburashi, but also to Ryuma who he was now carrying with him.

_I’ll make Shusui into an even greater sword and make you proud. I promise._

Brook stared at him with his spooky black eyes, he knew something.

“Excuse me but I…”

Brook’s jaws rattled gently with the unspoken words. Zoro knew what he wanted to say, he saw it too. Honestly he was starting to wonder if there were a person on the whole damn island that didn’t know by now.

“I just wanted to say, Mr Luffy has allowed me to sail with you from now on.”

“Your bad luck, being in this crew can be a bit of a handful you know?” Zoro said.

“Yes Mr Zoro sir! I will do my very best, until my dying day! Ah, though I am dead already!”

Brook rattled his bones as he laughed. Zoro smiled gently, only Luffy was capable of gathering odd creatures and lost souls and turning them into a semi-functioning crew.

“Don’t call me sir," Zoro said mildly. "We don’t do that kind of thing.”

 

*

 

Now, lying on the warm deck of the Sunny and enjoying the last scraps of sunlight, it really did feel like a distant nightmare. Zoro dozed on the grass with his back against the rails. The up and down motion the Sunny made as it roared over the waves lulled him into a state between sleep and wakefulness.

The crew had given him a momentary pass on his duties until he felt able to move around again. At least Franky had taken some of the stress off by installing automatic anchors, so Zoro didn’t have to wrangle the damn thing on board every time they shipped out.

He felt footsteps approaching and stop a few feet away, but he was too relaxed to open his eyes.

“Zoro. You lied to me.” Luffy said.

Okay, _that_ made him open his eyes.

“What?”

“You told me back then that you wouldn’t lose again.”

Zoro sat up, Luffy leaned over the guardrail next to him and fiddled with his hat. Zoro knew he was looking at the Vivre Card stowed in the brim and thinking of his brother. Despite his earlier reassurances to them that he believed in Ace’s abilities, Zoro still wondered if he were trying to alleviate his own worries.

His young captain had a lot to deal with and his heart ached for him.

“Luffy, look at me. I didn’t lie.”

Luffy’s dark eyes met his with uncertainty. Zoro wanted so badly to get up and go to him, to reassure him that he didn’t need to worry. But after a day napping in the sun, his muscles wouldn’t obey him, and as much as he hated to admit it; he was so tired.

Luffy saw him trying to rise and padded over to his side.

“I can’t explain exactly but I promise you. I didn’t lose.” His words felt so weak as Luffy searched his face. It broke his heart to keep such a huge thing from him, but he knew it was for the best. He could only hope that Luffy could forgive him.

“Okay.”

He walked over and slouched comfortably at Zoro’s side, arm slung lazily over his shoulder in a casual invasion of personal space that he had come to love. Zoro rested his head between his captain’s neck and the sharp jut of his collarbone and smiled against his skin.

Suddenly he jolted as a memory came to him, a tap on his forehead and a vision of his crew-mates running for their lives, explosions and Usopp carrying him across his shoulder… His eyes snapped wide open and he felt cold, despite the sun on his skin and the close proximity of Luffy’s body.

“Zoro, you okay?”

“Yeah… fine.”

“Whatever you’re scared of, we’ll get through it. We always do.”

He tried to concentrate on the glimmer of sunlight on the waves and the way Luffy’s thigh swung lazily over his leg, and not the creeping horror that whatever he had experienced in the between-world might have been real.

Zoro sought out his captain’s hand and squeezed it tightly, he wondered if he should tell Luffy how he felt in case anything happened. But in the end it didn’t matter, he would be by his side no matter what was in their future.

 

**End**

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> (boy I can’t wait for the next Wano chapter to make all of this totally f*cking irrelevant)  
> 三三ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ  
> I know that Thriller Bark was a long time ago, but now that the series is actually taking death and injury seriously I thought hey, what if this was written in a world where devastating injuries have actual consequences and sh*t? Also yours truly may have gotten drunk and watched episode 377 whilst crying… a lot and I needed Zoro to have some time to recuperate with warm hugs and soup okay? 
> 
> You may be wondering if this was all a lengthy ploy to get to the fluffy stuff, and to that I say… get off my lawn.  
> Hope you enjoyed if you made it this far, I take constructive criticism!


End file.
